Wednesday, March 28, 2007

In tip#13 Believe In Synchronicity I shared the amazing connection I made with someone I had just met. That person has since turned into a great friend and has emailed comments on almost all my blog entries. His regular feedback and support has also kept my spirits motivated during recent times of uncertainty in my career. It reminded me that there is always unexpected support around you if you are open to where it comes from.

Another supportive example is my mother who has become a new business advisor of mine for the past few years. Seeing her innate CEO skills and pro-active attitude was a profound surprise and now I view her more than just a loving mother but a strong willed, resilient individual. Allowing myself to see her other qualities as a human being allowed me to become a more self-confident person in my life and business.

I've also received constant support from a professor I had presented keynotes for in his university business classes. Not only is he the CEO of his own international company he is the fastest email responders I know! Through him I also learned from his impressive email etiquette which is highly important in today's business and personal communications. We had made a connection years ago and feel lucky today to be supported through his email correspondence and unofficial mentorship.

These real life examples reminded me of movies that will help you to recognize the support already around you...

As Good As It Getsis a romantic comedy starring Jack Nicholson as Melvin, a nasty neighbour and restaurant customer. After having to deal with unexpected changes in his life he starts to surprise himself, and the people around him, with how thoughtful and helpful he can be when his apartment neighbour needs emergency assistance.

Recognize that your neighbours, customers, clients or even the servers you encounter on a daily basis are unexpected resources for help. Even if you initiate a connection with a friendly smile in the hallway, sidewalk or a store check out line, that simple action can break down invisible walls between people.

Finding Forrester is a drama starring Sean Connery, he plays a famous reclusive writer that ends up becoming a mentor for a gifted young writer. Both are at very different age groups and different cultural worlds but they learn to find a common ground. In the end they both help each other profoundly with blocks in their lives they didn’t expect to break.

"You can be afraid of change and you can be afraid of people who aren't like you. But if you let them in you’ll be rewarded for that and it will give you new life."
Jonathan King, Executive Producer, Finding Forrester

Cinderella Man is a drama based on the true story of boxer Jim Braddock, starring Russell Crowe, who slowly hits rock bottom with his family during the great depression. For years he does his best not to ask for any financial help but when he finally has no other choice he realizes that most people were happy to give him whatever they could spare. Remember that option of asking for help in your own times of trouble. There is no shame in failure. Find the courage to ask for help when you need it.

In America is a drama based on director Jim Sheridan's family journey from Ireland to New York City. Though they move next to a big, scary neighbour, played by Djimon Hounsou, his daughters were not frightened of him. Their childlike curiosity, innocence and kindness immediately broke through the barriers between the family and the neighbour. In many different ways they all helped each other profoundly, financially and spirit wise. Keeping that childlike curiosity around new people is the ultimate ice breaker.

So be open with a sense of curiosity in making supportive connections with people already in your life. These are the individuals you already feel comfortable around or even some that you may not like at first. Ask yourself, "what can I learn from this person" or "How can I help this individual?" Take a chance and focus on the hidden positives and be the first one to offer a kind gesture or simple hello.

Making great and long term connections are like plants that you must nurture and allow time to grow. You must put effort into it. Find people who believe in you. When you do treat them like gold. And be there for them too when they need support. Helping one another is a two way street.

In times of trouble sometimes it takes one kind person to let you know you are not alone. As colourful expressions go, they'll be the ones who'll be there through thick and thin, when the chips are down or when the rug gets pulled out from under you!

"Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you higher."Oprah Winfrey

Sunday, March 25, 2007

I got a call last weekend letting me know that Chris Gardner, author of the book and movie The Pursuit of Happyness,was going to speak at Indigo Books in Toronto the next day on March 19th. My friend who'd called felt like an angel sending me a gift because I had been in a low energy funk. I was feeling stuck in my life and needed some inspiration. So yes, even motivators need motivation too sometimes.

Though I wasn't feeling well I pushed myself to go that night and found all the seats were already full and so I stood in the back behind the roped off areas. There I met an acquaintance I hadn't seen in years. Soon she was recommending that I contact this well known author and radio host she knows. I wasn't sure why she did this but I felt it was another synchronistic message for me. So I just accepted the information and chatted more while we waited for the guest of honour to appear.

The Answer

Chris Gardner finally showed up with a great and confident presence about him. He was dressed for success and was a truly big guy! He was interviewed on the stage area by the CEO of Indigo Books & Music, Heather Reisman or as she playfully refers to herself as 'Chief Book Lover'. Gardner inspired me with his casual confidence, positive attitude and stories about his life struggles.

He mentioned several times how much of a passion he had for being a stockbroker and you could feel and hear it in his voice. Gardner talked about the movie version of his book with Will Smith playing him and I remembered how the film showed the way his passion for being a stockbroker sustained him through his intense poverty experiences.

Then later Gardner said something that struck me deep...

"Don’t think about money, just keep doing what you love doing."

This hit the heart of the matter of my current situation. I have been following what I loved doing for years, motivating and helping others, but haven't been seeing the income levels I'd been expecting. I was also overwhelmed by many exciting opportunities but just didn't know which way to go. I felt stuck and lost. And yet Gardner's statement lifted me right up and helped me to keep going and focus on my number one passion right now. And that passion is writing these motivational tips on this blog.

A Vision of The Future

Right then I began to see it was time to get my blog published as a book. I started to picture myself in Gardner's place on stage at some point in the future. His book documented his struggles, solutions and successes which is what my blog is all about. Being at this event helped me visualize my dream of having a self-help book published. I began to imagine my book as a national best seller and mentioned this to my old acquaintance standing next to me. She corrected me and said, "You mean INTERNATIONAL best seller!"

Once again synchronicity played it's part and guided me to solutions for getting unstuck, showing me the direction in which to focus my time and energy. I just need to trust that the money will follow as it did with Gardner. The synchronicities didn’t stop there.

The very next day I was invited to a Mediabistro networking event and realized when I arrived that most of the people there were writers! I had stumbled into a nest of experts that could help me understand the publishing world and give me invaluable advice. I even met a literary agent who was excited about my concept of a motivational tips book using movies that motivate.

The Gift In Being Stuck

So remember that being stuck can be a useful time for reassessing your direction in life or career. It may not feel comfortable but it's a necessary pause to let the important choices of your life float up through your inner noise. Life can get so cluttered that having the courage to step off your regular routine can bring your top priorities back into focus.

And by following your passions you'll enjoy your journey much more, especially when you learn to trust that synchronistic signs and messages are always there to guide your way. And in my case, Chris Gardner reminded me that I was already moving in the "write" direction! You will too if you keep doing what you love doing.

"Find something that you love. Something that gets you so excited you can't wait to get out of bed in the morning. Forget about money. Be happy... ...The money thing will come. I know so many people who have so much more money than I. They are miserable. It is so important to be happy."
Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Some people need physical evidence to believe that something is real. While others are more open to trusting in something they cannot see. The imagination can help to picture things that seem impossible to be true.

Many of my favourite movies celebrate the concept of believing. Seeing the main characters persevere against non-believers has inspired me to do the same in difficult times. Here are some movie examples...

At it's core, the sci fi action movie The Matrix is all about believing with Keanu Reeves as the main character, Neo. The term "believe" is used constantly throughout the entire movie by each of the characters. Neo was introduced to the idea that he had incredible abilities within himself to control his physical reality. His eventual transformation was based on the requirement of him believing in the impossible. Only when he believed did the abilities manifest.

It also helped that others around him made the choice to believe in his abilities too. Even the antagonist played an important role in testing what Neo believed. Just like in real life those that oppose you can be seen as someone helping you to see how strong your belief really is.

In the fantasy drama Field of Dreams,Kevin Costner's character is mysteriously guided by a voice to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. Doing this made him seem crazy to others and cost him his livelihood. This becomes a test in believing in something that didn't make sense as well as taking big risks for the sake of a vision. Again his faith becomes stronger with the support of others willing to take the risks along with him. The results were both magical and healing for everyone that believed.

In the sci fi drama movie Contact,Jodie Foster's character is a scientist who can only believe in something if there is tangible, scientific proof. That attitude is put to the test when she has an extraterrestrial experience and tries to convince the world of this without providing any physical proof. She gets to see both sides of the coin and ends up becoming a wiser person in the process. This is one of my all time favourite movies that allows you to consider your own belief systems and the question of faith.

It's always good to have a little skeptic inside you when considering new ideas. It's also important to keep an open mind as well. Having a good balance can help you navigate through the multitude of ideas, suggestions and opinions that come your way in life. Especially when it comes to believing in yourself.

And remember, taking a chance and believing in something you cannot see could make positive changes in your life to last a lifetime.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

The movie The Secret is a series of interviews with experts in various fields of personal growth demonstrating the use of the law of attraction to manifest our dreams and goals.

I recently saw an interesting segment of The Gill Deacon Show on CBC where they were discussing The Secretphenomenon. I've also been following other features and the growing debates in the media. And I just saw a funny new Saturday Night Liveparody of the Oprah Showepisode featuring The Secretcreator.

All of this usually go hand in hand when something huge and successful enters our pop culture. People either believe or they don't. I just smiled because all the pros and cons regarding The Secretare demonstrating what the movie is talking about. And that is BELIEVING is the very first step to manifesting the law of attraction.

Believe:
Defined as: to accept as true, genuine, or real

It's an attitude that one must choose before allowing an idea into your life. So if you don't believe in something then it simply doesn't have value or substance to your way of thinking or feeling. Throughout history all new ideas had met some disbelief such as the Wright Brothersclaim in the early 1900's that man could fly. They were proven true by their successful flying machines and with the aviation world that exists today.

Kirk To Enterprise

I remember growing up watching the original Star TrekTV series in the early 70's and marveling at their communicators. They were so cool that I always wished they were real. And though I remember some people laughing at the concept of that little device they exist today as cell phones. In fact they've become even smaller in size than the first communicators of the original Star Trekshow.

Believing in a new concept is a leap of faith for some and much easier for others. And believing in something new can be impossible for yet others because it would mean rearranging their whole belief system. It changes their paradigm.

Think about the debate surrounding scientists wanting to change Pluto's status as a planet. I still prefer to consider it a planet because I grew up with that belief and am comfortable with that idea. Believing in something new shakes up paradigms, preferences and comfort zones.

Goodbye SkyDome

Here in Toronto a multipurpose stadium opened in 1989 known as the SkyDome. For some it will always be known as the SkyDome even though it has been renamed Rogers Centre. In time people will start calling it by it's new name. But it will take time. The same goes for the popular multiplex theatre formerly known as the Paramount theatres. I loved knowing it was called the Paramount and now everyone has to get used to it's new name, Scotiabank theatre. Again change takes time and we'll eventually get used to the change.

The Imagination

Now the ability to believe in anything is what children do naturally. It's a time when the imagination flourishes. This is why I believe the imagination is important to keep alive as an adult. Belief in the impossible can be a big step for someone who has lost that childhood ability to just play with ideas. The imagination temporarily disconnects the intellect and anything logical because one is not in an analytical state when playing. Unless, of course, you are doing your taxes and "playing with numbers"!

My own upbringing and life experiences had allowed me to be extra open to the ideas in The Secretmovie. Firstly, my current childlike imagination and creative abilities were nurtured from a young age by loving, supportive parents. Secondly, that support allowed me to excel at visualizing end results of what I wanted in my artwork and my music.

I could already see the artwork in my head before I drew it and hear my songs before I composed and recorded them. Visualizing what you want is an important key to initiating the law of attraction process. It helps you believe.

"In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me."Michelangelo

I love sharing this quote in my keynotes and workshops because it inspires others to see evidence of the power of believing and visualizing. Out of a 17 foot block of marble, Michelangelocould see the David sculpture within and chipped away until it was revealed to himself and the world. Everyone has seen this famous sculpture and yet understanding how it was created can open your thoughts up to other seemingly impossible ideas. The artist believed in something others couldn't see. To this day I am still amazed at Michelangelo'ssense of vision.

A Form of Training

In the end my upbringing was a form of training in my visualizing abilities. It became an important skill I was able to apply to other aspects of my life other than a successful business in illustration. I believe visualizing what you want is an important skill anyone can develop even if you don’t consider yourself an artist. It just means keeping your imagination active and a sense of play alive. And yes, if it sounds like regular exercise is needed it's because it is!

I will agree with some comments I've heard that The Secrethas simplified a complex process that can take awhile to develop. There are many factors to using the law of attraction that comes easier to me because I have integrated much of the belief systems over many years of trial and error. And witnessing the results of goals and dreams manifested by other people inspires me to keep believing. That's why I will continue to share my own success examples to motivate others.

So if you BELIEVE and are EXCITED about the law of attraction then follow your gut and start taking small steps to hone this new skill. And if you find there are people who do not believe or support you exploring this just believe you will find people who will.

Finding other believers will be the law of attraction in action. You made it happen. You will make it happen. You'll attract them because you believed.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Time travel movies can be extremely thought provoking because you get to see past and future possibilities for the characters in a "what if" story. These stories can inspire you to see you have the power to create your own future.

The sci fi adventure movie Back To The Future with Michael J. Fox is a great example. In the first film of the trilogy, Marty McFly goes back in time to the 50's and helps his father (as a teen) to face his fears and unleash his courage.

Doing so altered his father's self-esteem so deeply that when Marty returned to his present time his father was no longer a weak minded man but a confident, assertive and successful parent, husband and book author. It's a great lesson for anyone to find the courage right now to be the positive person you want to be. It's never too late to unleash the person you know is laying dormant inside you.

In Adam Sandler's fantasy comedy movie Clickhis character gets to see the repercussions of working too much and not spending quality time with his family. He is given a magical remote that fast forwards himself to future times and sees the unpleasant consequences of neglecting his family and his parents.

This "what if" movie is like a 21st century version of It’s A Wonderful Lifeand helps the main character see that his priorities were mixed up. Seeing the future he didn’t want helped Sandler's character change his present life when he returned.

Movies are a great way to show you future possibilities that you'd want or don't want. The visuals are like reality samples for your brain to take in and sift through to see if they bring you joy or not. Be more conscious of the images you see in movies and all around you of careers that excite you. Look at the examples of lifestyles you desire and relationships that would make you happy.

Who knows? They may be actual snap shots of your own future.

Back To The Future
Mr. Strickland: "You're too much like your old man. No McFly ever amounted to anything in the history of Hill Valley!"
Marty McFly: "Yeah, well, history is gonna change."

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Happy Feetis a dazzling animated musical film about a young penguin born with a difference among his penguin clan. While others are born with a beautiful singing voice, the lead character, Mumbles was born with a passion for dancing. The film points out the importance of believing your differences are your strengths whether anyone else sees it or not. And the reasons for your uniqueness will eventually reveal itself in life.

I remembered during my mid-life transition in my late 30's how I had discovered that my gift for public speaking had been suppressed at a young age. I was a talkative kid growing up and always got into trouble. Sometimes I was just entertaining other kids with my funny voices or impressions.

Being Punished

The teachers would always have to send me out into the hall, sometimes pulled by the ear, because I couldn't stop talking during class. Imagine how being punished constantly for something you do naturally conditions you in the long run. You are taught it is wrong and bad to express yourself like that.

So I turned to art to express myself quietly. It's no wonder that my suppressed gift for public speaking finally pushed it's way out during my early mid-life crisis. I believe our innate gifts are a powerful form of energy that needs to be expressed or our lives suffer. The energy of my gift may have been secretly orchestrating events around me to shake up my world in my late 30's in order to show me a path back towards my life mission and what I was born primarily to do as a motivational speaker.

Celebrate Your Gifts

Happy Feetrecently won an Oscar for best animated feature and represents a story meaningful for grown ups as well as celebrating one's differences. The classic story of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeeris another similar moral. Everyone has their own special gifts and skills and they ought to be celebrated and not condemned or laughed at.

Believe no matter what was suppressed in your childhood you will always be guided to unleashing your inner gifts and what you were born to do. It's up to you to find the courage to set it free and share it with others.

So look at your own Happy Feetand nurture these secret skills and talents that are uniquely yours. Developing these skills will bring enormous joy into your life. They may even be the key to unexpected solutions and enthusiasm for your career. Just take a happy step forward!

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Songs can instantly transport you to memorable times in your life. It's amazing how distinct sights and sounds and other senses come alive from the memories music can trigger. I recently experienced this when I was channel surfing on TV and heard When You Wish Upon A Staron the Wonderful World of Disney show.

My heart swelled with happy memories of hearing this theme song. I was instantly taken back to simple childhood times watching the weekly show with my brother and sister. It was as if all my daily troubles melted away listening to the music.

The song was first heard in 1940 in the classic Walt Disney movie, Pinocchioand has stood the test of time. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and later the American Film Institute ranked it seventh in their list of the 100 Greatest Songs in Film History.

Steven Spielberg also loved this song so much he had it incorporated in his film, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.At the awesome climax of the movie you can hear the song woven into John Williams’s stirring musical score. The music made the experience alien contact more a magical experience rather then a frightening one like movies that came before Close Encounters.

After hearing the tune on TV, I was curious to read the lyrics so I went online and googled the song. I was amazed to read that it spoke about the law of attraction. The words were so simple and yet said so much. I was triggered on so many new levels as I remembered the movie, The Secretmentioning some of the greatest minds in history knowing the secret. I now believe that statement also applied to creative people like song writers who wrote songs like, When You Wish Upon A Star.

It excited me to know now that this timeless song and life message was with me all along growing up. The message was quietly placed into my heart and the hearts of everyone who had been touched by the song.

So read the lyrics and be inspired to dream your dreams. Believe that anything is possible again.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

In my last entry I talked about Ellen DeGeneres asking Steven Spielberg during the Oscars telecast to take a picture of her and Clint Eastwood. The press loved it and it was a main feature of their coverage of Ellen hosting the Academy Awards.

Then I remembered that Ellen wanted the photo for her MySpace site and wondered if she was serious. So I decided to go online to MySpace and to my surprise found her site and the actual picture that was taken by Spielberg. I was amazed! I felt instantly connected to Ellen as if we were best buddies.

It just goes to show that the internet is one of the best inventions ever (aside from chocolate and movies!). Around the world anyone can connect instantly via email or through the countless websites geared to helping people connect with each other. And whether you want to connect for business or personal purposes I highly recommend you spend time exploring some of the more popular sites and see the benefits for you.

Here are some examples:

Blogs

Blog stands for "web log" and is a huge community of individuals of all ages sharing their daily diaries and thoughts online for the world to see. My blog is more of an "experts blog" where I can share free motivational tips on an international level. And best of all starting a blog is easy and free. Check out blogger.com which is what my blog is on. Check out wordpress.com too.

This is the site I mentioned for Ellen DeGeneres and geared towards social networking. MySpace has received massive press and is being used on so many levels by people for creative ways of connecting to the world. Musicians, for example, are using it to market their new tunes and videos whether they are signed or not. This site's benefits are so huge I have yet to tap into it's potential so I just have a basic profile up. Again it's free.

LinkedIn.com has been called "MySpace for grownups" and is primarily for business networking. It’s been growing in popularity and is an effective tool to connect with friends online and connect with business contacts on their lists. Again, I have yet to tap into it's full potential but at least I have a profile up which is free to do.

YouTube.com is another massively successful site for those who want to share their video clips with the world or find footage of almost anything. It's not just a site for funny clips of cats falling into toilets, you can find favourite music videos or scenes from movies and tv shows or even educational material. And you can make comments on the clips you have seen which instantly connects you to the person who posted the video clip. Once again it's free to sign up.

Meetup.com is overflowing with topics that you can join to meet up with like minded people on a monthly basis. There are so many topics in Toronto alone and I have met some amazing individuals that have helped me personally and professionally. Of course if you do not enjoy a specific meetup group you don't have to go back. And signing up, doing a profile and joining a group initially doesn't cost anything. Some groups do have minimal fees though.

43things.com is an interesting site because it can help you define your goals and connect you worldwide with like-minded people. It was very thought provoking to see other people's goals and see how different they value what they want in life. I also found the site helpful in defining my own goals. And once again it is free! Do you see a pattern here? Are you liking the cost factors on these sites?

So don't get left behind if you've been resisting getting to know the internet world. This invaluable tool is here to stay and can truly help you accelerate achieving your goals. I recommend putting in a basic profile of yourself to start on websites you are interested in.

Just be responsible with how much information you give about yourself. The profiles and photos that you'll post on these websites represent the image you want to communicate. And keep it mind you are always in control and can change or remove your profile at anytime.

Most importantly have fun exploring these sites. Remember the internet is an incredibly fast and effective way to connect with people who share your interests.

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About Me

Emmanuel Lopez aka Motivatorman is a Motivational Speaker and an award-winning Blogger & Illustrator working with organizations to inspire RESILIENCE & INDESTRUCTIBLE OPTIMISM for DEPRESSION, MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS through the power of movies. He has been featured in The NEW YORK TIMES, The WASHINGTON POST and The GLOBE & MAIL.
Speaker Clients: TD Canada Trust, Investors Group, The Art Institute of Boston and Royal Ontario Museum.
For info on speaker bookings see: www.motivatorman.com